Pictures of Sunset
by Oracle Phoenix
Summary: When Nicolette DuClare’s artistic passion finds her atop Willy Wonka’s factory gates, she gets more than she bargained for from the reclusive chocolatier. WonkaOC
1. Introductions and Addictions

**Pictures of Sunset**

**By:** Oracle Phoenix

**Rated: **T for teen (Some bad language)

**Genre: **Romance/Humor (Some Drama too. Not total fluff. LOL Though I do live for fluff… ;-) )

**Pairing: **Wonka/OC

**Summary: **When Nicolette DuClare's artistic passion finds her atop Willy Wonka's factory gates, she gets more than she bargained for from the reclusive chocolatier.

**Disclaimer: **All of this belongs to Roald Dahl and Tim Burton and Warner Bros. and so on and so forth. I am simply playing with their toys. Oh, and um…yeah. I borrowed the name Nicolette DuClare from the game Deus Ex, but not the actual character. …Does that even count?

**A/N:** Obviously this story involves an OC. If that's not your thing, then don't read it. For the record though, she isn't a Sue. I would never do half the stuff she does but she is fun to write for. This chapter is dedicated to my friend Kayla who, rather unwittingly, supplied part of her appearance and personal style. Beyond that though, Neiko isn't Kayla either. She's just...Neiko. :-D

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**Chapter One:** **Introductions and Addictions **

A young woman drifted through the busy streets of a great town, beholden to no one. She had dark auburn hair that fell in ringlets at her shoulders. Few would have suspected that it had spent several months an intriguing shade of violet less than a year ago. She had a pale, heart-shaped face and vibrant, emerald eyes poured over the book in her hand from behind glasses with black-plastic frames. A bit 'emo' perhaps, but she'd had them for years, couldn't afford new ones, and, therefore, refused to be held accountable. Her name was Nicolette DuClare.

Her stride had a sharp, purposeful air about it and she barely glanced up from her novel as she moved along. High school had, long ago, taught her how best to maneuver through a heavy crowd. Finally, she paused in front of a street vendor and looked up. Her gaze was met with a large, colorful sign, proclaiming the release of Wonka's newest creation: the FudgeMallow Delight.

"Two please," she requested of the vendor.

"Yes. One for you and one for that friend I never meet," the man replied with a knowing smile.

Neiko was used to his teasing and merely rolled her eyes in response. Then, she paid for her chocolate and moved off again, stowing the novel away in her satchel as she walked. Regardless of what that man thought he knew, she had a candy bar to deliver. She could sample the latest sweet sensation on the way.

She pulled back the wrapping on one of the bars and bit into the chocolate. _Wow…_ As she passed Willy Wonka's enormous factory, she raised her unfinished bar as if in a toast.

"Cheers Mr. Wonka," she said aloud with a silly grin. "Still doing God's good work I see."

She chuckled happily, shook her head, and strolled onward in the dying light. She had one more stop before she could head home.

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Neiko (she refused to be called Nicolette, as it was much too stuffy) turned a darkened street corner and walked along a row of identical townhouses, looking for the familiar gold nameplate. About halfway down the line, she stopped in front of a fairly nondescript little place whose only defining feature was a shiny, professional plate by the door, proclaiming it home to Dr. Wilbur Wonka D.D.S. She climbed the steep steps and knocked twice.

A tall, rather imposing old man answered the door. His hair and beard were peppered with white and silver and his dark eyes glittered strangely in the light of a nearby streetlamp. Most people tended to shy away from this man but over the years Neiko had grown accustomed to his severe demeanor and remained unperturbed. When Dr. Wonka saw her, his face broke into a kind smile.

"Ah, Nicolette," he exclaimed softly. (For he was much older than her and a friend of the family and reserved the right to call her whatever the heck he wanted.) "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I am here to pay homage to the gods of your rather scandalous little addiction."

"You got it?"

"Of course I did. Never missed a release yet," Neiko grinned proudly.

"Wonderful! And you didn't…tell anyone did you?"

"'Course not. It'd ruin your reputation wouldn't it? We can't have that," she said slyly. "That's me. Always keeping up appearances. Like, for instance, the appearance that I'm a great, greedy hog who needs two of everything."

Her face turned momentarily stern and she raised a disapproving eyebrow before handing him the other Wonka bar.

"Thank you. And I do apologize for the inconvenience but I just can't miss one of Willy's wonderful candies. And I can't really be seen out buying sweets either…"

Neiko's face broke into a fresh grin.

"No worries," she said. "I can take the heat. Besides, it's good to see you taking an interest in your son's career. It's just too bad there's no one to tell _him_ about it."

"Yes…" he agreed regretfully. "It is too bad. I bet he would just _love_ to see what he has reduced me to!" He sighed. "Oh well."

"Tell you what. If I ever _do_ see him, I'll let him know."

Neiko hated to see the old man look so sad. Her promise was genuine but she doubted she would ever meet his remarkably eccentric and reclusive son. She would have loved to though. Oh the stories she'd heard! She often dreamed of meeting the man behind those marvelous chocolates, knowing him and bringing him home to the father who missed him so. Some things, though, were just not meant to be.

Dr. Wonka smiled. "You do that. It would be nice to see him again…even just one more time." He paused. "Would you like something to eat? Dinner is nearly ready."

For this, Neiko fell back on her usual excuse of having 'some things to take care of.' She was quite fond of the old man but he just could not be trusted not to try and wheedle her in to an early dental checkup. She supposed he had gotten better about it since Willy had run off, at least those who had known him back then thought so, but he was and would always be, hopelessly married to his work. And, as a dentist, he still thoroughly spooked her.

Therefore, after a few more minutes and a warm goodbye, Neiko was back out in the chilly autumn night and on her way home.

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**Authors Notes:**

-Neiko is roughly 10 years younger than Willy. They have never met.

-This story doesn't have an exact time but I figure it runs between the time the factory reopened, sans workers, and at least 5 years before the Golden Ticket fiasco.

-This story is AU. It will NOT lead up to the Golden Ticket incident because I enjoy writing romance and happy endings and the fact that he is still alone in the factory when the kids show up bodes well for neither. Charlie will just have to sit home and deal with it.

P.S. -Do you love my Dr. Wonka? I love my Dr. Wonka!

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So there's chapter one. I hope you enjoyed it. I posted it to see if it was worth continuing so please review and tell me what you thought. Constructive criticism is welcome but flamers will be sent to eat green caterpillars in Loompaland. :-p


	2. Coming Home

**A/N:** Thanks for reviewing everybody! Here are some generally informative responses:

- Lobs bowl of little green caterpillars at **Kill Mary Sue** and yells "Eat!" Neiko, regardless of your view of her, is not a "tragic" character at all. She's actually quite content. And she will NOT be shagging Willy Wonka in this feature, thank you very much! Yes, it is a Romance but I'd like to hope she has a bit more decorum than to jump him with all of you sitting right there! (Besides, I don't think I'd feel comfortable writing anything too racy with Wonka in it. I feel like I've known the character too long and it would just be weird.)

- As for the rest of you, you guys ROCK! And to anyone who commented on Dr. Wonka, from the end of the movie I kind of figured, because he did seem so interested in his son's life, that he might be overcome with curiosity as to his life's work. I also figured that, not only would he have probably been humbled and softened slightly from age and the loss of his son, but Willy's memory of him as a heartless tyrant could easily have been ever so slightly exaggerated since he had only childhood memories and impressions of him. And we all know that in childhood, the good seems incredible and the bad often seems unbearable. It's quite possible he was never really THAT bad. Perhaps only as aloof and unsociable as the son he produced. There's no reason that he should have to be truly evil. Kay? Good, I'm glad you're coming with me on that.

Look for more character information and random Author's Notes at the bottom of the page. Of course, all of the usual disclaimers and summaries apply to this and all future chapters. All right. Here's Chapter Two.

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**Chapter Two: Coming Home**

Two hours later, Neiko, who had been delayed by a side trip to a local diner, unlocked the door to her apartment and went inside. The phone stopped ringing just as she got in the door. _Typical._ The machine was recording something but she wasn't paying attention. She took off her black jean jacket and threw it across a chair, savoring the warmth of her home. The room was about medium size and, while normally it might have been a living room, it was more to the point of an office. The walls were a crisp white and the furniture that wasn't black was stainless steel and glass. All of the lights were florescent white and threw the room in to even sharper contrast. A few large, framed prints, some in full color and some black and white, decorated the walls. Many of them were Japanese movie flyers and posters but some were photos she had taken.

Many people might have thought that the room was a bit too stark and they would have been within their rights, but Neiko loved contrast and this room only ever felt like home to her. She had broken the bank when she designed it but this was her haven for both work and play and she insisted she be comfortable.

She crossed the room and hit the playback button on her answering machine.

-"Hi. This is Alice at Bennet, Brown, & Associates. I hope it isn't too late to call but I just wanted to check on the project. Make sure it's still on schedule, you understand. Just give me a call ASAP okay? Good night."-

Neiko glanced at the clock over her computer. _Eleven O'clock._

"Who _are_ these people! No, your website did not get up and wander off in the 24 hours since you last saw it!" _If only people would pay this much attention to their kids._

She rolled her eyes and pulled a camera out of her satchel. She it on the desk and went digging in the pockets of her jacket for a small film canister. Once she had found it, she grabbed the camera again and headed off to a small dark room that she had managed to cram into the walk-in coat closet and set to work developing a few stills she had taken earlier in the park. When she had reached a point that she could leave the prints, she walked into the kitchen to grab a soda and turned on the computer to check her email.

That same woman, Alice was her name, had left her a message there too. _Aggravating cow._ Neiko replied with a glowingly respectful and professional email of which she did not mean a single word (_No trouble my ass._) and switched off the computer. She leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, and thought lovingly of the day to come. Tomorrow was her day off and she would finally be able to focus on her own, self-designated project. Tomorrow would take she and her camera to the heart of the city and the great Wonka chocolate factory, in all its glory, would be her muse. And tomorrow was only the beginning. In her head, Neiko saw a gorgeous, full series study of the extraordinary structure mounted lovingly on her wall. It made her happy to no end. Still reared back in her office chair, she never saw sleep coming before it overtook her.

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Authors' Notes:

-Neiko works at a photo development place like a Kodak or something. She does the web design stuff on the side for a little extra cash. The actual photography part is only a hobby.

-Willy Wonka will be a little while in coming. I'm obviously a bit nervous about writing for him so I'm trying to develop Neiko a little more here in front of things before I've got them both loose, running amuck. Plus, I don't want the story to feel rushed. I know exactly when and how I want to bring him in already. He makes his début in Chapter 3 but he wont have lines until Chapter 4 or 5. You'll see. I'll try to get them out quick so you wont have to wait but I'm visiting a college this week so I can't make any promises.

-Sorry that this was short but I wanted to give everyone, myself included, a better feel for Neiko's character before she goes rushing off into action.

**Also, a little side note:** I'm not the only author who's been picked on a little about Mary-Sues and many are getting it far worse than I am so I really wanted to clarify something. A Mary-Sue is a character (usually and OC but it CAN in fact be a badly OOC canon character) that is perfect in every way. They have many talents and few to no personality flaws. They are usually either in love with a canon character or related to them and they are very beautiful. The character is most often the personification of the author and is what everyone wants to be and no one actually is. It is important to understand that every OC character is NOT a Mary-Sue. Not even those that are paired with Willy Wonka are necessarily Mary-Sues. The term 'Mary-Sue' describes a characterization flaw, NOT a plotline or pairing. **I'm am asking people to kindly lay off in shouting "Mary-Sue" at every original character. I know it is 'in vogue' at the moment but those who are familiar with fanfic know that it is a particularly harsh dig at one's writing style and if you are going to say it, please have something to back it up. You can't call a Mary-Sue before the character has entered the story. That just isn't fair. I'm bringing this up because I hate seeing people get picked on almost as much as I hate getting picked on myself. "Mary-Sue." is not constructive criticism all by itself. Please, for the sake of people's feelings, find something helpful to say or don't review at all!**


	3. Silent Vigil

**A/N:** All of my reviewers rock! I, however…do not. / I can't believe I've left you hanging for MONTHS! I would be so mad at me right now if I were you guys. I'm kinda mad at me anyway to be honest. I hope you will forgive me for my complete lack of inspiration and continue to humor me as I sputter through this little tale. I do intend to finish it. Sorry again everyone!

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**Chapter Three: Silent Vigil **

The better part of the next day was spent preparing equipment. At least, the better part of what was left after Neiko woke up at noon. It didn't matter. She hadn't planned to be at the factory before sunset. Fewer people to ask questions that she didn't feel like answering that way.

As the daylight dwindled away, Neiko locked up her apartment and headed toward the street. A tired old Honda street bike waited for her in the tiny driveway. It had been a graduation gift from her dad and she had fought hard to keep it in good condition. In spite of careful upkeep, however, there was no denying the poor thing was on its last leg. Neiko grabbed her helmet and prepared to fight another errand out of the dying motorcycle.

'_It's a good thing I don't commute,'_ she thought wryly.

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Neiko approached the immense, glorious factory as the setting sun painted its massive outer walls and windows in shades of red and orange. She looked up at it for a long moment before grabbing her equipment and crossing the last few yards from the curb to the front gate. That was her first shot. She opened her lens wide and snapped a shot looking up through the gates to where the smokestacks met the sky.

She scanned around looking for a way to get a better vantage point. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted the high wall to the right of the gate. For the first time she noticed its structure. There was a low ledge cut into the face of the wall and industrial lamps hanging midway up. Neiko decided that these probably wouldn't be too hard to scale if she was careful. She lifted her foot high enough to reach the ledge and found that the carving actually was deep enough to serve as a foothold. From there, she pulled herself up until she was standing and reached for the lamp, hoping it would hold her weight. She tested it first and then pulled herself up onto the top of it, balancing precariously for a moment before continuing on. Slowly but surely, she levered herself up to the top of the wall and surveyed her surroundings. She was now very high up and staring down into the main yard.

Neiko wasn't as tempted to drop down into the yard as one might have expected. She didn't want to upset Willy Wonka. In the back of her mind, she worried that her actions may have already offended the chocolatier. She wasn't particularly worried about being caught. She knew enough about him to know that he wasn't all that threatening. She simply respected his privacy. The man had a right to guard his secrets, however frustrating that was for everyone else.

She took pictures of the structure until the natural light became too dim. At the last moment, before she could climb down from the wall, she noticed movement in one of the factory's third story windows. Neiko jumped, startled, and raised the camera lens once more. She used the zoom like a telescope to get a better look and slowly, a figure resolved inside the viewfinder.

Neiko had to strain to see in the fading light but she could just make out a tall, lean figure watching her from the window. On closer inspection, the build suggested a male. The distance and the poor light muffled his features but she could tell that his clothing was dark and vaguely Victorian. His skin, what she could see of it, was very pale. _Willy Wonka._ She didn't need confirmation. It had to be him. She wondered how long he had been watching.

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Willy Wonka had been wandering around his private rooms when a movement outside caught his eye. He went to the window and looked out, expecting to see someone rushing by on the street. He was rather baffled when, at first, he saw nothing.

It took him a moment to notice the young woman crawling around on his factory wall. When he finally saw her, he froze and his body went rigid with fear, anger, and suspicion. He didn't know why she was there but he was sure she couldn't be trusted.

Wonka alerted his Oompa Loompa guards and told them to be ready to stop her if she tried to climb down into the courtyard. He continued to watch her from his window and was surprised when she pulled out a camera and started taking pictures. _'There's nothing out there worth stealing,'_ he thought and for the first time he considered that perhaps she wasn't there to spy on him. But then what was she doing?

He watched her for a long time without moving. She didn't **look** mean. She had a kind face from what he could see and the kinky curls in her hair gave her a spunky look. She looked younger than him but not by much.

He continued to watch her for about half an hour until she began to pack her camera away in a satchel. In that whole stretch of time she didn't do anything very suspicious and Willy relaxed slightly but still remained motionless. When she finally moved to leave, it startled him out of the near trance-like daze he'd fallen into and he jumped slightly to one side.

He saw her freeze in her tracks and spin around, looking up at him with sudden, startling acuity. He realized with a jolt that he had been discovered. He wanted desperately to run away but instead stood his ground as she raised the camera lens and zeroed in on him. For a long moment, they stared at each other. Then he could see a wide grin beginning to spread across her face. She waved at him enthusiastically and then climbed backward out of sight. _'Awfully bold little thing isn't she?'_ he thought in mild amusement.

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Over the next week Neiko visited the factory several times. Each time, she looked to the upper windows of the factory hoping to catch a glimpse of the candyman and each time she found him watching her intently. She never acknowledged him beyond a smile and he never acknowledged her at all. It was an unspoken agreement between them to pretend that what was happening was unimportant. After all, Neiko was finishing her project. That was all. Willy still didn't quite trust her had managed to convince himself that he was merely keeping an eye on her. If, occasionally, he wondered her name, it was only vague curiosity brought on by suspicion. The truth was, however, that if these reasons had not been available to them, they would have found others. The growing ritual between them had, in fact, come to mean quite a lot.

One evening when Neiko looked to "Willy's window" she was startled to find him missing. Yet somehow she still felt the not completely undesirable tingling sensation of his eyes on her. She used her trusty zoom lens to scan the rows of windows that towered above her and finally caught sight of him, two stories and seven windows away from his usual spot. She grinned up at him and set to work with her camera, paying him no further attention.

At the end of the session, she put her camera away, pulled out a sheet of heavy paper and sat down to write. She could almost feel Wonka's interest growing as he watched her from his "hiding" spot. When she finished, she held the page up to Willy as if to say, "You want this?" Then she folded it up into a paper airplane and sent it winging for the factory's front door. She then dared to break their Golden Rule for the second time that day and waved at him before climbing down to the street and heading home.

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Willy Wonka watched the woman ride away on an old motorcycle before sending an Oompa Loompa to retrieve the unknown message. In his excitement though, he couldn't leave the tiny man to do his job alone and nearly beat him to the door. He did, however, decide to wait inside for the note to be brought in from the steps. When the Oompa Loompa handed him the little airplane, Willy just stared at it for a moment, wondering what could be inside. His hands shook as he carefully unfolded the plane and his brow furrowed in concentration as he read what she had written.

_Mr. Wonka,_

_Thought you could hide did you? I thought you might be curious what I'm doing here. Don't worry, I'm not here to spy on you or violate your privacy. I don't have any ulterior motives and I have no intention of ever entering the factory yard. I'm just taking pictures because I love you factory and I needed a new photography project to pass the time. I hope that I haven't done anything to offend you. At any rate, tomorrow is my last day so I'll be out of your hair soon enough._

_Love,_

_Neiko DuClare_

_P.S. – Out of respect for your privacy I have photographed nothing that can't be seen from the street. When I used the zoom to find you I didn't take any pictures._

_P.P.S.- The FudgeMallow Delight is perfect just like all your other candies!_

Willy couldn't help but smile at that last bit. She was a fan huh? Could be. She didn't seem to be trying to steal anything from him after all. In fact, hadn't she said she wasn't coming back at all after next time? Suddenly he tensed in shock as he realized what that meant. After tomorrow she would be finished and he would not see her again. And he would definitely…miss her…? Was that it? He wasn't sure why but he knew that he would. But what could he do about it? It took him only a few moments to reach his decision.

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**A/N: **Dun, Dun, Dun! Cliffhangers are fun don't ya think?

Willy and Neiko will meet in chapter 4 and Willy will have his first lines. I feel more comfortable writing him now because this chapter kind of showed me what I was working with.


	4. Down the Rabbit Hole

**A/N:** Well, let's just move right along shall we? I know you're all just dyin' to meet Willy so "let's boogie!"

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**Chapter Four: Down the Rabbit Hole**

The next evening, Neiko clambered up onto the wall for the last time. She looked up at the factory with a sigh and bent to retrieve her camera. While she was bent over, a voice spoke from somewhere below her.

"Ya know, some people might consider this trespassing."

Neiko yelped and stood up fast enough to cause vertigo, nearly falling off the wall in the process. She caught herself just in time and peered cautiously downward into the inner yard. There she saw a tallish man in a top hat leaning against the wall beneath her. As she watched he looked up at her, his eyes hidden behind large, goggle-like sunglasses and said, "Please don't fall off the wall…so much paperwork…" He pushed away from the wall with a restless sigh and turned to face her completely. When he realized she was gawking at him, he cocked his head to one side and asked, "What? Surprised?"

Neiko stared at him, incredulous, and began to stammer out, "You're Willy Wonka."

Wonka seemed to consider this seriously for a moment, and then nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah!" he chirped excitedly and forced out an awkward laugh before falling silent for lack of anything else to say.

Neiko continued to stare at him, completely dumbfounded. He wasn't quite what she had expected. She had heard that he was a weird one but she had never really considered what that might mean exactly. He had seemed pretty tall at first glance but now she realized that he was only about normal height without the top hat.

"You're shorter than I thought you'd be," she said matter-of-factly.

That seemed to ruffle his feathers significantly and he cried, "I am NOT short!" It came out closer to a whine though and Neiko couldn't help but laugh. "Hey! I'm taller than YOU!" he challenged childishly.

"You think so?" Neiko asked, baiting him.

"I know so!"

"We'll see…" Neiko grabbed her camera and hopped down from the wall, landing next to Willy and observing the way he shied away from her and the suspicious glance he sent her way. Now that he wasn't looking up into the sun anymore, he removed his sunglasses and took another look at her. Then he folded his arms smugly across his chest. Sticking his nose in the air, he gave her a superior look and said, "I told you I was taller."

This came as no surprise to Neiko. She was actually pretty short and he wasn't really _that_ small. She had just been giving him a hard time and the jest had had the added bonus of bringing her to his level.

"Of course you're taller than me. I'm short."

"But you said…"

"Said what? I never said anything," she replied, giving him her best innocent look. Neiko took one look at the confused, anxious expression on his face and was overcome by a fit of giggles. He was kinda cute…in sort of a weird way.

"Stop laughing at me!" he half-shouted in his high-pitched voice.

"I'm not laughing _at_ you. I'm laughing _with_ you."

"I'm not laughing."

"Then you should start," she responded amiably.

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Willy hated being made fun of. He could feel himself becoming more and more upset. _This was a mistake. I should have let her leave. I should have known better._ He slipped into a flashback:

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It was the first day that little Willy Wonka had been forced to wear his headgear to school. When he walked through the door, everyone in the classroom turned to stare at him. His classmates gathered around to get a better look at him and he could hear them whispering to each other and giggling quietly. Suddenly everyone was laughing at him and pointing at the uncomfortable contraption around his head. Although this broke the young boy's heart, he tried hard not to cry. His distress must have shown on his face however because one of the other boys said, "Don't worry metal-head, we're laughin' with you not at you!"

"_I'm not laughing!" little Willy cried._

"_Well you should be. It pretty freakin' hysterical." At this, everyone laughed even harder and Willy wanted nothing more than to run from the room._

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"Mr. Wonka? Mr. Wonka what's wrong?"

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_Was his father here, Willy wondered?_

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"Willy!"

Wonka snapped out of the flashback but a little piece of him still ached at the memory. He found Neiko standing entirely too close to him and he moved away quickly, reclaiming his personal space.

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Neiko had been watching as Willy Wonka grew increasingly distressed. Then he seemed to just drift away. His focus turned inward and his brow furrowed. She began to get worried. She hadn't meant any harm and she could never have predicted his reaction. Now she rushed over, closing the gap Wonka had left between them, and instinctively laid a hand on his arm.

"Mr. Wonka?" she asked. "Mr. Wonka what's wrong?"

She got no response. He seemed completely trapped within himself. She began to get frightened.

"Willy!" She tried his first name, hoping to get his attention.

Suddenly, his eyes refocused and for a moment they held a deep sadness that worried Neiko. He looked completely lost and she wished that there were something she could do to help. As soon as he noticed her, however, he quickly schooled his expression and jumped away from her hand on his arm as if he'd been burnt. She took no offense at this. Clearly, Willy Wonka had a lot more problems than she had anticipated. All the same, he seemed like a decent guy and he was certainly interesting. Again, she worried that she might have caused him pain.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

Willy looked at her; a plastic smile fixed on his face, and said, "Just a flashback. No big deal." He shrugged.

"That didn't look like nothing. Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yeah!" He giggled uncomfortably and Neiko got the distinct impression that he wanted to run away from her. To his credit though, he stood his ground.

"Look, I'm sorry if something I said upset you. That wasn't my intention. I was really only teasing you." Neiko sighed. "I've wanted to meet you for a long time and now it looks like I've totally screwed it up. I'm sorry for that."

"Kay…"

"Maybe we could try this again?"

"Maybe…"

"Okay…well I'm Neiko DuClare, obviously. It's good to finally meet you." She extended her hand to shake his.

"Obviously, I'm Willy Wonka. This is weird." He stared at her hand with discomfort and made no move to take it. Neiko sighed and let her hand drop to her side.

"Yeah. It is." She looked around and shifted awkwardly from foot to foot as the agonizing silence spread between them.

After a long moment, Willy spoke in an accusing tone. "You came into the yard. In the letter, you said you wouldn't come inside the yard."

"Well…you _were_ talking to me and it seemed stupid to keep shouting down to you. If we were going to have a conversation, I figured it would be easier on even ground."

"I still never invited you down here."

Neiko let out an exasperated sigh. "Okay…well I'll just go then." She walked over to the gate, then turned around and stared at Wonka. "What? You aren't going to make me climb back over the wall are you?"

Wonka hesitated for a moment, lost for words, then he signaled at one of the factory's low windows and the gate swung open on surprisingly well-oiled hinges.

"Sorry I bothered you," Neiko said, her voice laced with sarcasm. She was hurt, in spite of herself, by his reaction to her. She stuffed her hands into the pockets of her jacket and walked through the gate. She hadn't gone far when…

"Wait a minute!" She half turned to face him and waited for him to continue. "Why were you taking the pictures?"

"What? 'Cuz I felt like it wasn't a good enough reason for you?"

Wonka glared are her with a mildly disgruntled air.

"Well…I guess, in a way, I was hoping I would see you."

"Why?" He looked suspicious.

Neiko hesitated a moment, wondering how much she should say. "Because I've always heard good things about you and I wondered what you were like."

"Who told you about me?"

"I have my contacts." She smiled softly.

"Who…?"

"Oh, hardcore chocoholics mostly." At this, she couldn't help but grin.

"What's so funny? Who are you talking about?"

"I'm not going to make it that easy."

He worked his mouth silently for a moment as he tried to figure out what he could possibly say to make her tell him. Again, at the look on his face, she started laughing.

"Why do you keep laughing at me?"

"Because you are absolutely adorable when you're clueless. Now, I will make you a deal. I will tell you whatever you want to know if we can continue this inside."

Willy seemed to tense up at the suggestion but it had the desired effect. He completely missed the fact that she had called him adorable.

"I don't need to see anything," she continued. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to but I'll settle for just inside the doors. It's just that it's getting dark and it's freakin' cold out here."

"I guess…" He paused, considering the notion. "But only _just_ inside."

"That's fair."

He motioned to the window again and the gates closed, locking them inside. His body was straight and stiff as he led her up the front steps. They entered through one of several doors in the worn façade of the factory and Neiko was immediately hit by a wave of heat and the smell of melting chocolate. _'Good God' _she thought. _'This is incredible!'_ The entrance hall was beautiful but strangely austere. It was an immense, cavernous space built of dark stone with a brilliant red carpet rolled out to the far wall, which was barely visible at such a distance. The smell of rich, wonderful chocolate was everywhere. It wrapped Neiko up like a blanket, overwhelming her senses.

For the first times since she met him, it occurred to Neiko that she had been standing with and talking to the magician that had created this place. He had hardly been recognizable as the hero she had adored since childhood. He was so different from what she had expected. He was nervous and strange but in some ways he was better than her image of him. He was real.

She turned to look at him with the biggest smile she'd worn all evening.

"This place is incredible!"

"You don't know the half of it," he said proudly, momentarily forgetting his discomfort.

"Now _that_ I am sure of."

Neiko spun around for a moment more, taking in the space. Then she turned back to Wonka.

"So, you had some questions for me?"

"Who's been telling you about me, huh?

"Just a friend of mine…someone who ought to know you a lot better than he does; who wants to see much more of you than he has. Someone who was wrong a long time ago and who has been sorry for many years.

"No. No way."

"'fraid so. I lived next door even before you left but I was just a little kid then. My parents knew your father before I was even born."

"But you said he was sorry and that he wanted to see me," Willy pressed anxiously. "That can't be true. I disappointed him!"

"Maybe at first, but after a while, he realized that you were born to do this. I mean, there's no denying the evidence."

"You mean the success?"

"I mean the _candy_."

"Yeah right. He would _never_ eat my candy. He hates candy!"

"Guess again. I'm his super-secret supplier." Neiko grinned.

Wonka narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "I don't believe you."

"Look, I promised that if I ever saw you I would tell you how he feels. He misses you and he _is_ proud of you. If you can't believe that then it's _your_ problem _and_ your loss."

"Well I _don't_ believe it. You probably don't even know my father. If you _do _know him, then you're living in a dream world."

"Just think about it. Maybe you'll change your mind."

There was no denying the sincerity in her voice. Wonka paused and stared at her in disbelief.

"You really _are_ crazy aren't you?" he asked incredulously.

"No more than you." She smiled. "And you aren't crazy at all."

Wonka laughed nervously. "Ha. Ha. Very funny." He glared at her, waiting, but no punch line came. Slowly, the offended look slid off his face. "Well there's an opinion I haven't heard in a while. I'm pretty sure most people think I'm a bit of a wingnut these days." He smiled ruefully.

"I'm right though aren't I? You just see things that other people miss. There's nothing wrong with that. Actually, I imagine it's what makes you so good at what you do."

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Willy looked at her in disbelief. He couldn't believe that someone actually understood and they weren't just humoring him.

"You really believe that don't you?"

Neiko looked him squarely in the eyes. "Yes."

Willy felt a small swell of gratitude deep in his chest. He lowered his eyes uncomfortably but a tiny smile stayed on his face.

"Thanks."

There was a long pause but it wasn't entirely unpleasant. Willy was beginning to consider the impossible and his brow furrowed under the possible consequences of what he was about to do. _'I bet she would really love it,'_ he thought. _'And it seems like such a waste never to show it to anyone…'_

Finally, Willy broke the silence. "I have something to show you. Follow me."

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Neiko thought she must have heard wrong and she didn't follow him right away. When he noticed that she wasn't with him he turned to look at her.

"Aren't ya coming?"

"Where?"

"The best kind of prize is a sur-prize!" he said brightly.

Neiko hesitated for another minute and Willy turned to her again.

"It's straight ahead. C'mon. Let's boogie!"

'_Here goes nothing,'_ Neiko thought. She followed him down the strip of red carpet toward the far wall. As they came nearer, the space began to close in rapidly until Willy had to stoop to keep from crushing his hat. They came to a door that was much too small for them to pass through. It was less than a foot high and she gaped at it in confusion when Willy stopped in front of it.

"What the…?" she began. But Willy cut her off.

"It's to keep all the big, chocolaty flavor inside!" he exclaimed happily. Then he bent down, turned a small key in the lock and gave the wall a little push. He stepped back as invisible seams split to reveal a much larger door that had only been masquerading as a wall.

Neiko gasped as the door swung open, revealing the most marvelous thing she had ever seen. There, in front of her, was a most magical garden. The plants were big and bright and strange, like something from a fairytale and a lovely, sweet scent hung in the air, mingling with the ever-present aroma of chocolate. At the other end of the enormous room, a waterfall of thick, brown liquid cascaded over a cliff in a solid sheet. Unconsciously, Neiko wandered to the edge of the river that frothed at the base of the falls and Willy Wonka followed her at a distance. For a long time she stood, mesmerized, watching the "water" slide by.

"It's beautiful," she breathed.

"It's chocolate." Willy's voice came from behind her but did not come as a shock. It was lower and smoother than she had yet heard it. The room seemed to have put him at ease somewhat. The words, however, _were_ a surprise. She turned to look at him, thinking his face would betray some joke. It didn't.

"No, seriously. Come and see for yourself."

He gestured toward a low stretch of riverbank and motioned for her to follow. Then a ladle materialized from God-knows-where and he bent and dipped some out and handed it to her.

"Go on. It's fantastic!" he encouraged.

She took a cautious sip and closed her eyes in bliss as the smooth, warm liquid chocolate ran down her throat. _'That's it,'_ she thought. _'I'm melting all of my chocolate bars from now on.'_

"I had it built a couple of years ago. Did you notice the chocolate got better?"

"I did. I figured you got a new supplier."

"Same supplier. New mixing method."

"So that," she pointed at the chocolate fall, "mixes all of the chocolate for this factory?"

"Yeah! Neat huh? You see, the waterfall is most important. It makes the chocolate light and frothy!"

"Well I guess that makes sense, as much as the base of a waterfall bubbles."

"Yeah! I noticed that when I was in Loompaland!"

"Say what now?" Neiko raised an eyebrow at him.

"Loompaland! You know. It's such an awful, scary place…"

"I've never heard of Loompaland." He stared at her blankly.

"Boy, you sure do talk softly. You really oughta speak up! Anyway, where else could I have found the Oompa Loompas but Loompaland?"

"I think I'm missing something. What's an Oompa Loompa?"

Suddenly, Wonka pointed matter-of-factly at a group of tiny men working on the opposite bank. They seemed to be harvesting the strange plants. Neiko jumped at the site of them but then realization dawned on her face.

"These are the workers that have been helping you run the factory!"

"Yah. Aren't they great!"

"Oompa Loompas?" she ventured hopefully.

"Duh." He half closed his eyes lazily as though bored.

"Where do they come from?"

"Loompaland." He rolled his eyes. "Gosh, you're slow."

"There is no. Such. _Place_!"

"Of course there is!"

"Oh yeah? Where is it?"

He hesitated for a split second and then said, "When you mumble like that it's really hard to understand you ya know." Then he wandered away from her.

"Arrrgghh! What is your _problem_?"

"Hmmm…? I beg your pardon?" he asked politely.

Neiko growled fiercely and muttered, "Obnoxious prick," under her breath. She was beginning to wonder, again, if he was worth the effort it was taking to speak to him.

Wonka remained apparently oblivious to her anger but he still managed to change the subject just moments before she beat him to death with his own walking stick. (_Skillz._)

"You can eat everything in this room ya know."

Neiko stopped her internal rant in its tracks and stared at him. "What?"

"Oh yeah. Everything in this room is eatable. The trees, the shrubs, the flowers, the mushrooms, even the grass."

"You can eat the grass?"

"'Course you can. I call it 'Swudge'. It's just so gosh darn good! You should try some!"

"You want me to eat the grass?" she asked, incredulous.

"Swudge," he corrected.

"You've lost your mind."

"Oh, does it _really_ matter?" He sounded exasperated.

"I suppose not." Neiko eyed him suspiciously and then bent down to take a blade of grass. (_Swudge_, she corrected herself.) She kept her eyes trained on his face as she brought it to her mouth but Willy's expression gave nothing away so she went ahead and ate the little green strip. As it touched her tongue, a wonderful sensation of cool mint spread through her mouth and she smiled.

"You can eat the grass!" she cried in amazement.

"What did I tell you? It's good isn't it! Oh I _knew_ you'd think so! _I just knew it!_" His eyes were alight with excitement and pride.

"You seem happy," Neiko observed.

"Well, yeah. You're the first person to try it except me. Of course _I_ knew it was good but it always helps to have a second opinion. It's not like I can market it."

"Why not?"

"You can eat it and you walk on it…bit unsanitary in practice don't ya think? The Oompa Loompas could never handle that many disapproving letters. Mail would be tied up for weeks."

"I guess you're right. I didn't think of it like that."

"And that's why you're the one taking the pictures," he said with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Jerk," she muttered, but she was chuckling softly too.

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Willy smiled a little smugly, feeling that he had won the argument that only he really knew they were having. He watched silently as Neiko returned to staring around her in wonder. She turned to him and gestured toward the room at large.

"Do you mind if I…"

"Go ahead. No pictures though," he said, raising a finger in warning.

She nodded and wandered off to explore. He watched her go with a mixture of excitement and apprehension. It made him happy to see someone besides him enjoying his creations but he couldn't shake the persistent worry that came from allowing another person so far into his private world. He wanted to trust her. For that matter, he wished he could make himself believe every word she had told him. It was wonderful to imagine that his father really did want him; really did love him. But it just couldn't be true. '_If it's true, then why did Dad leave, huh?'_ In fact, it was on this that he was basing his mistrust. She had to be a liar or the world had changed a lot since he'd been gone. A little too much in fact. She seemed nice enough though. '_Look on the bright side,' _he thought. _'Maybe she's just crazy.'_

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Neiko climbed up onto a candy hill and looked back down toward where Wonka was standing. He was a weird one, she mused, but she could tell that he was doing his best to be friendly to her. She smiled again as she thought of how awkward he was. She thought it was unbelievably cute.

Physically, she decided, he was rather attractive, but his style and his presence did give one pause. He hadn't noticed her looking at him and he seemed to be off in his own little world so she took the opportunity to really observe him for the first time. He was very thin and lanky in spite of all the candy he must eat. '_Metabolic royalty apparently.'_ His hair fell neatly just above his jaw line in an odd sort of bob cut. It was tremendously out of place on a man and she wondered briefly how someone who seemed to have otherwise impeccable taste could have made such an unfortunate hair choice. She decided, though, that it didn't really matter. Finally, her attention landed on his tailored, burgundy frock coat. Now that thing had a special place in her heart already.

"I love your coat!" she called out, breaking Wonka out of his reverie.

He turned sharply toward her with a momentary look of confusion that dawned into comprehension and ended in a fragile and uncomfortable smile.

"Oh…yeah. You like it?" He picked awkwardly at some invisible bit of lint on the velvet and then stopped to stare at her like a deer in headlights.

Neiko shook her head with a smile and slipped down from her perch on the overhang of the oddly shaped hill. She walked over to Wonka and stopped in front of him, cocking her head inquisitively to one side.

"Why are you afraid of me?" she asked simply.

Wonka opened and closed his mouth several times like a fish. "I'm not afraid of you!" he protested.

"I mean, I realize," she continued as if he hadn't spoken, "that you've been here alone for a while. But I don't bite and I don't give random hugs so really you have nothing to worry about."

Wonka giggled in spite of himself. "You had better not," he said. Then he forced an evil, calculating look onto his face that made Neiko laugh.

"Well…usually I don't anyway." She tried to make her eyes shifty and embarrassed but broke into a grin instead.

"Yah well…keep it to yourself. I don't do hugs,' Wonka said firmly but his eyes glittered with suppressed mirth.

"See now, this isn't so bad is it?" Neiko asked softly. She was glad to see him lightening up.

"You _are_ fairly non-threatening," he admitted. "I still don't trust you though."

"I'm not sure I expected you to but thanks for the heads-up."

Wonka craned his neck and looked up at the skylights in the roof.

"It's getting late. You should probably head home," he said thoughtfully. "Maybe next time I'll show you something else."

Neiko stared at him in shock. "Is there going to be a next time?"

"Well…yeah. I guess. If you want to that is."

"Hell yes!"

"Oh good. Well then come to the gates at sundown on Saturday and I'll let you in."

"I'll be there." She smiled at him and then turned and followed him out.

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Outside the gates, Neiko paused and looked back at the factory. Wonka had already disappeared inside and the memory of the adventure had taken on a dreamlike quality. Her only proof that it had ever been real at all was the lingering cool sweetness of the Swudge grass on her tongue. She had always expected that at this moment she would be giddy and excited but now that the moment had arrived, she felt a surreal calm wash over her. She got the distinct impression that some incredible revelation was waiting just beyond her line of sight. She could not decide from which direction it would come or what form it would take but somehow she knew that something amazing had taken place that evening. Something far more fantastic than meeting a reclusive celebrity. There was, however, one thing that she was sure of; there were treasures locked away inside that factory that she could not fathom and the adventure was just beginning.

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**A/N:** Wow, this chapter is positively enormous by my standards. Look at it! It's huge! dances around excitedly Hope it was actually good and not just a whole big long bunch of crap. LOL Please read and review! 


	5. The Adventure Begins

**A/N: **This chapter is a lot shorter than the last but I decided it was more important to keep myself updating regularly. The end of this chapter also seemed like a neat little stopping point when I wrote it, so here it is. Fear not, Chapter 6 should be fast in coming.

Also, thanks to everyone who reviewed: snip-snippet, Jareth's Genevieve, katplwe, word junky, Kurama13 and everyone else.

I'm a sucker for reviews so please keep em coming! I love knowing what people think about my work! You guys rock!

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**Chapter 5: The Adventure Begins**

Saturday evening found Willy Wonka sitting by the window in his bedroom watching for Neiko. Obviously, he couldn't stand outside for fear of attracting unwanted attention. Instead, he would alert the Oompa Loompas when she arrived and they would let her in. He had spent the entire week trying to convince himself that he wasn't making a huge mistake. Each morning when he woke up, he was horrified by his decision and spent the entire day worrying about it. Then, evening would find him looking out at the deserted front wall and remembering why he would miss her if she didn't come back.

He had felt a desire to please her and see her face light up again as it had when she had first seen the Chocolate Room. Being near her was far from comfortable but it was less painful than he would have imagined. He had been away from people for so long and had convinced himself so completely that it didn't matter, that he had paid no attention when, every-so-often, he longed for human company. Now, it seemed, in light of this new arrival in his life, the instinct for companionship was kicking into overdrive. For the first time in his life the factory, empty but for the Oompa Loompas, felt like a prison. The thought of remaining here alone seemed unbearable and yet he couldn't go out. It had been far too long. But if he could trust her to come in… Could he trust her? He supposed he would have to. But only a little.

Just then, he saw her approaching the front gate. He felt his heart constrict at the sight of her. How was he going to get through this? He was terrified of her. That was what that meant right? He called down to the Oompa Loompas to open the gate using an intercom and then headed for the great glass elevator. He tried to swallow his fear as the elevator opened onto the entrance hall.

As he stepped out into the open he saw Neiko creep shyly through one of the large doors at the other end of the hall. Her face showed excitement tinged with uncertainty. Willy battled with anxiety as he walked closer to her and stopped in front of her. It was different, meeting her on level ground like this. Last time he'd had a small chance to get used to her before he had really had to face her.

"Good evening Starshine," he choked out. "The earth says 'hello'"

His whole body was trembling now and she was looking at him strangely. He clenched and unclenched his hands at his sides in anxiety, smiling so hard that he was actually gritting his teeth. After a moment of awkward silence his smile began to falter. At this point, Neiko seemed to take mercy on him and, quirking an eyebrow, said, "Well hullo…Earth?" Then she shook her head and grinned broadly, stifling a chuckle. Nonplussed, Willy furrowed his brow and compressed his lips in a pout.

"There you go again," he muttered.

He saw her face sober quickly and the grin was replaced by a gentle look.

"Oh don't be angry. I wasn't being mean." She smiled at him a little wryly. "What's the amazing chocolatier doing with so many self-esteem issues anyway?"

Willy just continued to glower at her.

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Neiko resisted the urge to reach out and touch him because she knew that if she did he would freak out. It occurred to her that she would have to be much more careful with him than she had been. In spite of a seemingly boundless ego, his feelings were easily hurt. That part of him, more than any other, intrigued her. He was a good guy, she realized. Strange but also wonderful in many ways. Despite his quirks, or perhaps because of them, she was beginning to really like him.

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Willy watched as a range of emotions washed over Neiko's face. Regret, sadness, resolve, and what seemed to be affection, ending in a small, shy smile that he could neither explain nor fully describe. Whatever it meant, he found himself less nervous because of it, if perhaps a little giddy. He felt a blush rising in his cheeks though he wasn't sure why. He tried to dismiss the feeling. Willy realized that she was probably expecting him to say something and he felt himself growing nervous once more. He shifted anxiously and plastered on a smile.

"Let's move along shall we?" He beckoned her to follow.

Willy led Neiko to the Great Glass Elevator which was still waiting in its port. He wondered where he should take her. _'Where would she like to go?'_ he asked himself. _'What would she like best?'_ Suddenly, he got a better idea.

"How bout we take the scenic route?" he asked, turning toward her in the elevator.

Neiko shrugged. "Works for me."

He watched her examine the elevator buttons and their labels, her jaw dropping at the sheer number of them. He grinned.

"How many floors are _in_ this place?" she asked in disbelief.

"Those aren't floors," he explained. "They're rooms. This isn't your average up and down elevator." With that, he pressed a button and sent the elevator rocketing to the right, much to Neiko's shock and dismay.

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**A/N:** The next chapter is gonna be a little weird for me because I never really wanted to write a tour chapter but I suppose it's kind of necessary in this case. I'll try to break it up so it doesn't get boring. 

-BTW: We won't see the Inventing Room in Chapter 6. It always seemed strange to me that he showed the kids his most secret room right up front. I don't think he trusts Neiko quite that much yet.


	6. Viewing Paradise

**A/N: **Sorry for the wait. I'm juggling a couple of stories at once these days and I sort of got writers' block on this one. Thanks for sticking with on this, to those of you who have. And to those who are just showing up, thanks for reading and reviewing!

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**Chapter Six: Viewing Paradise**

After recovering from the sudden shock, Neiko picked herself up off the elevator floor where she had fallen in a tangled heap. Blushing furiously in embarrassment, she avoided Willy's gaze as much as possible but she could have seen that smug grin of his one hundred feet away in a dark room.

"You might have warned me," she muttered sourly.

"What would have been the fun in that?"

"Go to hell." She couldn't manage to summon much venom though.

"You say that but you don't mean it."

"Wanna bet?"

He was silent for a moment but appeared entirely unperturbed. Then he pointed casually past her and said, "You may want to turn around."

"Oh, so now you're…" The sarcastic retort died in her throat as she realized that she was now looking at a mountain. Her mouth went dry and she could do nothing but stare stupidly, her previous annoyance completely forgotten.

"Welcome to Fudge Mountain!" Willy exclaimed brightly. She would have turned to face him but couldn't tear her eyes from the snowy peak in front of her.

"F…_Fudge_ Mountain?" she asked weakly. "Is that…?"

"Yep. Made entirely of my finest fudge! See the Oompa Loompas on that cliff there? They dig out the fudge that we use here each week. They have to wear those really thick jumpsuits though because it has to be refrigerated and they can't stand the cold."

"You have a mountain…of fudge…inside?"

"Yeah!" She turned and stared at him blankly. "What?"

"Nothing. Never mind." Neiko couldn't quite wrap her mind around it so she simply let it go as the elevator glided onward to the next room.

Next, they passed through a room where Oompa Loompas were shearing pink sheep. She looked to Willy for an explanation and found him looking uncomfortable.

"Do I dare ask?" Neiko said, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, it's just…they…"

"Cotton candy?"

"Among other things…"

Neiko paused. "You're wearing pink underwear aren't you?" One look at Willy's face told her she was right and she let out an un-ladylike snort of laughter. "You're a real _manly man_ aren't ya?"

"Hey now! That's not fair!"

"No, no. You earned that one. Cuz you're not just wearing _pink_ underwear. You're wearing pink, _cotton candy_ underwear!"

"The candy is processed out," Willy said moodily.

"Ah."

Another connection tunnel and suddenly they were heading straight downward, accompanied by the explosions of fireworks all around them.

"Welcome to Target Practice." He was still sulking.

"Oooo…Neat!"

"Yah."

"Oh cheer up. I don't care about your pink undies."

Willy glared at her and stuck out his tongue when she wasn't looking but he said nothing.

At the bottom of the shaft, the elevator shot to the left. They found themselves in a tight, dark tunnel with rough rock walls. Suddenly, the space opened and Neiko could see lights shining through the gloom. Then, Oompa Loompas became visible, a few at a time, mining some crystallized substance from the walls.

"These are the rock candy mines," Willy announced, sounding only slightly less put-off than before.

"You _mine_ rock candy! I thought it was made using crystallized sugar."

"Usually. But I was lucky enough to find a vein of it forming naturally when I was expanding the factory downward. It has to be processed of course, but that's no trouble."

"How can that be? It's not actual rock."

"No, of course it's not. I believe it formed from fossilized deposits from ancient sugarcane plants that mixed with condensation on the limestone down here."

Neiko blinked at him. "Who are you and what have you done with Willy Wonka?"

"What? I'm not _stupid_ ya know."

"No…but you're not the most scientific of beings either."

"Sure I am!"

"Uh…prove it…?"

"You got it." He pressed another button and they sped off, heading for parts unknown.

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A few minutes later, the elevator docked in a huge room filled with stainless steel, glass tubing, and colorful equipment.

"This," Willy said, stepping out of the elevator and spreading his arms wide, "is my Inventing Room! This is where I design and perfect all my latest and greatest inventions!" All of a sudden, his proud grin faltered and he began to look nervous.

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'_Oh no,' _Willy thought. _'How could I be so stupid? I led her to this place. I practically just handed her all my secret inventions! What now?'_

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He looked back and saw Neiko standing where he had left her, looking at him expectantly. It soothed his nerves slightly to realize that she was waiting for his permission to look around.

"Go ahead and explore. Just…don't touch anything. Kay?" _'What the heck,' _he thought. _'She probably wont even know what she's looking at.'_ Still, he felt very nervous about this and he couldn't help but fidget as she walked away.

Neiko had seen the suspicion in his face and she could guess what he was thinking without too much effort. She was glad, however, that he hadn't thrown her out right then. It showed progress but she didn't want to push it. She wandered off between the many large machines but tried not to move too quickly or look too excited. She didn't want to set off any alarm bells in his head.

Looking around, she supposed she had been wrong about him after all. It was strange to think that he had created all of this. He must be quite the scientific mind indeed. He certainly didn't look it.

The room was actually very impressive. All around her, the clinks, rattles, and clicks of the machines drowned out all other noise. Bright lights flashed brilliant colors and everything seemed to be in constant motion. As she explored, she felt Willy's presence following behind her at a distance. Finally she turned to face him.

"I'm not gonna walk off with anything."

"How do _I _know that, huh?"

"Look, I know it's hard for you to wrap your mind around but you can _trust_ me. I'm not here to spy on you. I just want to know you. All the same, if there's something you don't want me to see, you don't have to show it to me. It's _your_ factory, after all. If you don't feel comfortable having me in here then let's go somewhere else."

"Really?" Willy asked in surprise.

"Sure. Let's get out of here." She started back toward the elevator.

"Thanks," Willy said quietly. He turned to follow, still in a state of mild shock.

They got back into the Great Glass Elevator and Willy looked at her thoughtfully for a moment.

"Hm…I think that just about covers everything I was going to show you…Hey, I've got an idea! He pressed a button and the elevator sped off once more.

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They arrived in the Chocolate Room a few minutes later and Neiko turned to Willy looking a little confused.

"I figured you might not be ready to leave yet and you seemed to really like this room last time so…" He looked embarrassed like he thought he might have done something wrong. For her part, Neiko was just happy that he wasn't in a rush to get her out the door.

"Thank you." She smiled softly. "May I?" she asked gesturing toward the river bank.

"Uh huh." Willy nodded amiably, feeling much better after what had happened in the Inventing Room.

Neiko walked over and sat down on the banks of the chocolate river. Turning back, she beckoned Willy to come sit beside her. He hesitated for a long moment and she gave him a pleading look and a smile. Finally, he shelved his misgivings and joined her on the Swudge grass.

"Why did you invite me to come back?" she asked quietly. The question took him by surprise and before he could think of some witty comeback, the truth came tumbling out.

"I guess…I guess I've been kinda lonely all these years. Never really realized it until I had to face someone again." He shrugged in an attempt at nonchalance but his face remained pensive.

For a long time they sat side-by-side, not touching, and allowed a companionable silence to spread between them. Willy was the first to break it.

"Back then I thought, with all the spies and bad people out there, I was better off alone. After a while, I just got used to it…but I guess I didn't really. I just forgot about the alternative. Until I met you anyway."

"And what do you think of the alternative so far?" Neiko asked with a shy, inquisitive smile.

He looked up at her and their eyes met. Willy felt a strange, electric shiver run up his spine and he was reminded of a similar sensation he had felt as a teenager. For a moment, he was seventeen again; shaky and stupid and out of his depth. He swallowed hard and forced himself to form words without stuttering.

"I like it a lot. And I…I've missed it." He dropped his gaze to his knees which were propped out in front of him.

Neiko raised a hand to his cheek and he flinched slightly before raising his head to look at her.

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Neiko felt Willy trembling slightly under her touch. She could tell he wasn't really comfortable with her yet but she got the impression that he wanted to be. When their eyes met, she smiled reassuringly and stroked his cheek, waiting for him to calm down. Slowly, almost without thinking, she leaned forward and touched her lips to his. He started violently and his whole body tensed up at the contact but he didn't move away. She felt him begin to relax once more and she waited patiently for him to return the kiss. When he finally did, it was timid and inexperienced but so soft and gentle that it made no difference. She closed her eyes and leaned in further as he reached up to run his fingers through her hair. She ended the kiss and rested her head against his shoulder. Again he tensed slightly but recovered and drew her against him, tentatively wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Well I've never done that before," he said a little breathlessly.

"Never?" Neiko raised her eyebrows in surprise and turned to face him.

Willy shook his head, looking suddenly embarrassed and he refused to meet her eyes.

Neiko was shocked to realize just how alone Willy had been, apparently even before the factory closed. It made her sad but it also explained a lot. She reached up and tucked a lock of his hair behind his ear, marveling at how soft and fine it was.

"That's okay," She smiled. "There's got to be a first time for everything I suppose."

"Thanks," he said shyly, gracing her with a beautiful and genuine smile.

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They say like that for a long time and Willy spent most of that time wondering just what was going on. He had never been this close to a girl before and he was scared. He was happy too though. It actually felt kinda good. _Weird._ It was around midnight before she left for home and even after all was silent; he knew he would never get to sleep.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

-Woohoo! I finished the tour!

-I know I said I wasn't going to reveal the Inventing Room in this chapter but it just sort of…happened. I guess Willy isn't naïve enough to plan a tour of it but he is occasionally petulant enough to use it to prove a point. LOL

Please keep reading and reviewing!


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